<p class="title">The United States on Thursday threatened a visa ban on the crew of an Iranian supertanker <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/indian-crew-aboard-seized-oil-tanker-grace-1-released-754565.html" target="_blank">whose departure</a> from Gibraltar Washington failed to block.</p>.<p class="bodytext">State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the Grace 1 was assisting Iran's Revolutionary Guards -- which the US deems a terrorist organization -- by transporting oil from Iran to Syria when it was detained last month.</p>.<p>"Crewmembers of vessels assisting the IRGC (Revolutionary Guard Corps) by transporting oil from Iran may be ineligible for visas or admission to the United States under the terrorism-related inadmissibility grounds," Ortagus said.</p>.<p>"The maritime community should be aware that the US government intends to revoke visas held by members of such crews.</p>.<p>"In the case of the M/T Grace I, we will continue to act consistent with our existing policies concerning those who provide material support to the IRGC."</p>.<p>Gibraltar's Supreme Court earlier Thursday ruled in favour of releasing the vessel seized on suspicion of shipping oil to war-torn Syria in breach of international sanctions.</p>.<p>Hours before the announcement, the US had launched a last-minute legal move demanding that the British overseas territory detain the ship.</p>.<p>Gibraltar police and British special forces seized the Grace 1, carrying 2.1 million barrels of Iranian oil, on July 4, provoking a diplomatic crisis.</p>.<p>Tehran retaliated by seizing a British tanker, the Stena Impero, two weeks later in the strategic Strait of Hormuz -- the conduit for much of the world's crude -- for breaking "international maritime rules".</p>.<p>The capture of the tankers heightened tensions just as European nations scramble to save a landmark nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic after the US pulled out of the accord in May last year and started imposing painful sanctions on Iran.</p>.<p>Iran responded by suspending some of its commitments under the nuclear deal.</p>.<p>Gibraltar Chief Justice Anthony Dudley said the decision to release the tanker followed written assurances from Iran that the Grace 1 would not be headed for countries "subject to European Union sanctions".</p>.<p>Gibraltar chief minister Fabian Picardo hailed the ruling, saying in a statement: "We have deprived the Assad regime in Syria of more than $140 million worth of crude oil."</p>
<p class="title">The United States on Thursday threatened a visa ban on the crew of an Iranian supertanker <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/indian-crew-aboard-seized-oil-tanker-grace-1-released-754565.html" target="_blank">whose departure</a> from Gibraltar Washington failed to block.</p>.<p class="bodytext">State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the Grace 1 was assisting Iran's Revolutionary Guards -- which the US deems a terrorist organization -- by transporting oil from Iran to Syria when it was detained last month.</p>.<p>"Crewmembers of vessels assisting the IRGC (Revolutionary Guard Corps) by transporting oil from Iran may be ineligible for visas or admission to the United States under the terrorism-related inadmissibility grounds," Ortagus said.</p>.<p>"The maritime community should be aware that the US government intends to revoke visas held by members of such crews.</p>.<p>"In the case of the M/T Grace I, we will continue to act consistent with our existing policies concerning those who provide material support to the IRGC."</p>.<p>Gibraltar's Supreme Court earlier Thursday ruled in favour of releasing the vessel seized on suspicion of shipping oil to war-torn Syria in breach of international sanctions.</p>.<p>Hours before the announcement, the US had launched a last-minute legal move demanding that the British overseas territory detain the ship.</p>.<p>Gibraltar police and British special forces seized the Grace 1, carrying 2.1 million barrels of Iranian oil, on July 4, provoking a diplomatic crisis.</p>.<p>Tehran retaliated by seizing a British tanker, the Stena Impero, two weeks later in the strategic Strait of Hormuz -- the conduit for much of the world's crude -- for breaking "international maritime rules".</p>.<p>The capture of the tankers heightened tensions just as European nations scramble to save a landmark nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic after the US pulled out of the accord in May last year and started imposing painful sanctions on Iran.</p>.<p>Iran responded by suspending some of its commitments under the nuclear deal.</p>.<p>Gibraltar Chief Justice Anthony Dudley said the decision to release the tanker followed written assurances from Iran that the Grace 1 would not be headed for countries "subject to European Union sanctions".</p>.<p>Gibraltar chief minister Fabian Picardo hailed the ruling, saying in a statement: "We have deprived the Assad regime in Syria of more than $140 million worth of crude oil."</p>